


Unconditional Touch

by perspi



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual John Sheppard, Gen, Skin Hunger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-26 09:38:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10784217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perspi/pseuds/perspi
Summary: Sometimes it doesn't take much to figure out what you need. For John, it's forty years and eight pounds.(originally posted 7-2010)





	Unconditional Touch

The first time, Torren is six days old. They've all been visiting often; Teyla's absence had left a hole they can only fill by seeing her, talking with her. Ronon's taken to stopping in while she's sleeping. (John caught him at it once. But not because he had the same idea. Of course not.) She welcomes them and her people both--as if she's filling a hole of her own.  
  
John's the only one of the team who doesn't find somewhere else to be when Teyla starts nursing. He's even kind of fascinated with the whole process, to be honest, especially when Teyla holds Torren like a tiny football, tucked up under her elbow.  
  
Today's no different; Teyla nods to John to keep talking when Torren fusses. So John carries on, inadequately describing Atlantis on a sea of sand as Teyla settles Torren to her breast, letting his voice get quiet just so he can hear Torren's soft snuffling grunts. Teyla's half-asleep herself by the time Torren's milk-drunk and done, and John finds himself half-crouched over her chair, whispering, "I could take him, if you want to sleep some."  
  
Teyla beams sleepily at him, which is enough invitation for John. He takes a moment to slip off the scratchy BDU shirt before scooping Torren up. Teyla adjusts the blanket over John's shoulder and slips away toward the bedroom, and then they're alone, just the guys.  
  
John brushes his lips over that precious head, and something inside him _settles_ , like a craving he'd never known he had is finally, finally satisfied. He spends the next two hours with a trusting weight on his chest, amazed at this little person who breathes with him, at tiny fingers pulling at the hair near his collarbone.  
  
"John," Teyla half-whispers, and he opens his eyes. She looks better, rested, even with the pillow-crease down the side of her face.  
  
"I don't want to give him back," John admits quietly. "This is--"  
  
"I know," she murmurs and settles next to him on the couch. She knows about him, she's always known, and it falls into place--why John seeks out her greetings, why he secretly loves Ronon's enthusiastic hugs--men don't touch without intent, not where he's from.  
  
He can't put words to it, not nearly enough, so he says instead, "Guys aren't supposed to like cuddling."  
  
Teyla reaches over to rub Torren's back gently. "Your secret is safe," she tells him. Her hand rests half-covering his, warmth soaking into his skin, and she gives him a tiny, teasing smile. "Provided you come back for naptime tomorrow."

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Relates to Episodes: After S5, Ep 1 "Search and Rescue"
> 
> Written to fill the prompt "skin hunger" for the Asexual Comment!fic/Kink Meme; originally posted on 7-7-2010.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Unconditional Touching](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10789710) by [Deconblus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deconblus/pseuds/Deconblus)
  * [Forty Years and Eight Pounds (The Skin Hunger Variations)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/193415) by [bironic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bironic/pseuds/bironic)




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